PROTECTIVE DESIGN / STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

Physical protection.
Engineered.

Independent engineering consultancy for the physical protection of critical infrastructure, industrial facilities and essential assets against modern threats.

GROUNDED IN PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE FROM UKRAINE
Explore our services Our engineering approach
PROTECTION CONCEPTS / 01—03SCHEMATIC · NOT TO SCALE
Level 1 fragmentation protection schematic
LEVEL 1 / FRAGMENTATION PROTECTION

Protection against fragments and nearby blast effects.

Designed to reduce damage from drone and rocket fragments and partial nearby blast effects. Not intended to resist a direct hit.

Typical threatDrone and rocket fragments.
Typical measuresGabions, sandbags, big bags and protective barriers around equipment.
Level 2 counter-drone protection schematic
LEVEL 2 / COUNTER-DRONE PROTECTION

Protection against the direct impact of a strike drone.

Designed against the direct impact of a strike drone, such as Shahed, within the design basis defined for the project.

Typical threatStrike drone (e.g. Shahed).
Typical measuresSpecially designed reinforced-concrete shelters with top and side protection.
Level 3 missile protection schematic
LEVEL 3 / MISSILE PROTECTION

Protection against a missile strike.

Protection against a missile strike, including a project-defined direct-hit scenario.

Typical threatMissile strike.
Typical measuresHeavy protective structures with substantially greater design and construction complexity.

Illustrative protection concepts based on practical experience from Ukraine. They are not standardised protection classes; required performance is defined for each project.

01 /SITE-SPECIFIC ASSESSMENT
02 /ENGINEERED PROTECTION
03 /IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT
01 / ABOUT RD ENGINEERING

Physical protection that works with the infrastructure it serves.

RD Engineering is a protective design and structural engineering consultancy. We work with owners, operators, developers and contractors to reduce the physical vulnerability of critical infrastructure, equipment and industrial sites.

Our work connects threat assessment with structural design, site layout, equipment protection and operational requirements. The objective is a technically sound concept that can be constructed, maintained and integrated into a working facility.

DESIGN BASIS → ENGINEERING → SITE DELIVERY
02 / SERVICES

From exposure assessment to detailed design.

Five connected areas of work. We can undertake a defined technical assignment or support a protection programme from the initial site review through implementation.

TECHNICAL SCOPE

  • Site surveys and review of available drawings, equipment data and operating constraints
  • Threat scenarios, exposure mapping and critical component identification
  • Failure modes, structural dependencies and potential interruption pathways

TYPICAL OUTPUTS

  • Vulnerability register with prioritised protection needs
  • Threat and exposure diagrams
  • Engineering recommendations and proposed design basis

TECHNICAL SCOPE

  • Protective barriers, equipment enclosures and structural shielding concepts
  • Equipment positioning, separation, access and protected service routes
  • Concept comparison against available space, constructability and maintenance needs

TYPICAL OUTPUTS

  • Site protection plans and schematic sections
  • Preliminary dimensions, material approaches and interface requirements
  • Option appraisal and preferred concept

TECHNICAL SCOPE

  • Assessment of relevant loading and damage mechanisms at concept level
  • Structural and material strategies for shielding and fragmentation control
  • Interfaces, connections and the risk of secondary damage to nearby equipment

TYPICAL OUTPUTS

  • Protection performance requirements and documented assumptions
  • Protective element concepts and structural design criteria
  • Recommendations for project-specific verification and specialist testing where required

TECHNICAL SCOPE

  • Identify single points of failure and dependencies between essential systems
  • Physical separation, compartmentation and localised protection strategies
  • Design access for maintenance, isolation, repair and reinstatement

TYPICAL OUTPUTS

  • Resilience priorities linked to critical functions
  • Layout and system-interface recommendations
  • Design measures to reduce cascading damage and improve recoverability

TECHNICAL SCOPE

  • Engineering drawings, technical specifications and installation requirements
  • Design coordination with site engineers, suppliers and construction contractors
  • Technical reviews, construction-stage inspections and design change assessment

TYPICAL OUTPUTS

  • Design and tender documentation appropriate to the agreed scope
  • Bill of quantities inputs and contractor clarification support
  • Technical review records and implementation recommendations
03 / OUR APPROACH

An engineering process, not an off-the-shelf product.

Every assignment starts with the asset, the credible threat conditions and the operational constraints. The protection system is then designed around the required function and the realities of construction.

Protection must be designed as part of the operating system.

Barriers and enclosures are only part of the answer. We also consider supporting structures, equipment interfaces, personnel access, fire safety, inspection, maintenance and the ability to restore essential functions.

DESIGN ITERATES AS SITE DATA BECOMES AVAILABLE
01 / SCOPE

Understand the asset

Map critical functions, equipment, structural conditions, working areas and limits on intervention.

OUTPUT / SITE DATA + PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
02 / DEFINE

Establish the design basis

Agree relevant threat scenarios, protection objectives, performance assumptions and design constraints.

OUTPUT / DESIGN-BASIS DOCUMENT
03 / ASSESS

Analyse vulnerability

Examine exposure, likely damage paths, critical dependencies and the consequences of equipment loss.

OUTPUT / VULNERABILITY REGISTER
04 / CONCEPT

Develop protection options

Compare shielding, layout, separation and structural concepts against safety, operations and cost.

OUTPUT / SCHEMES + OPTION COMPARISON
05 / DETAIL

Prepare for execution

Translate the selected concept into drawings, specifications, interfaces and contractor requirements.

OUTPUT / TECHNICAL DESIGN PACKAGE
06 / DELIVER

Support implementation

Review site conditions, resolve design queries, assess changes and support technical acceptance.

OUTPUT / REVIEWS + HANDOVER ACTIONS
04 / INDUSTRIES

Protection across essential sectors.

Our design process is applicable wherever physical damage can disrupt critical services, production, logistics or operational capability.

01 / 06

Energy & power systems

Substations, transformers, generation sites, energy storage and electrical distribution equipment.

02 / 06

Industry & manufacturing

Production halls, process equipment, industrial utilities and strategically important machinery.

03 / 06

Transport & logistics

Terminals, depots, rail infrastructure, maintenance sites, warehouses and logistics hubs.

04 / 06

Water & public utilities

Pumping stations, treatment plants, water supply systems and municipal service facilities.

05 / 06

Digital & telecom

Data facilities, network nodes, communications sites and associated power and cooling equipment.

06 / 06

Defence & dual-use

Manufacturing assets, technical facilities, support infrastructure and mission-critical equipment.

TECHNICAL PRINCIPLES

No universal protection detail. Every site has a different design basis.

The best solution depends on what must remain operational, the structures already in place and the level of intervention a site can accommodate. These questions guide our design decisions.

01Threat definition and required protective performance
02Asset geometry, materials and structural capacity
03Equipment interfaces and secondary damage paths
04Access, fire safety and maintenance requirements
05Buildability, phasing and site operating conditions
05 / TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP

Engineering expertise. Practical experience from Ukraine.

RD Engineering brings together structural and mechanical design knowledge with practical understanding of physical threats and construction constraints.

Serhii Melnykov

CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER (CTO)
PROTECTIVE DESIGN & STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
Serhii Melnykov, CTO of RD Engineering
Grounded in practicalexperience from Ukraine

Serhii is a design engineer with more than 15 years of experience across mechanical engineering, industrial equipment, structural work and construction projects.

His background includes complex mechanical assemblies, aerospace-related components, steel and concrete structures, construction supervision and fire-protection systems. He has worked on both engineering design and the practical delivery of technical works.

His service in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, beginning in 2022, added direct operational experience with munitions and their effects. At RD Engineering, this background informs the development of practical protection concepts grounded in engineering realities and site conditions.

Structural designMechanical engineeringConstruction oversightPhysical protection
06 / CONTACT

Planning protection for a critical asset?

Share the type of facility, the engineering question and the project stage. We can discuss the scope of an initial technical review, protection concept or design assignment.

partner@rdoffice.org

Start a project discussion

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